


all things bright and beautiful

by LiveLaughLovex



Series: our definition of perfect [16]
Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Future, F/M, Gen, Post-Season/Series 09, christening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 14:25:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18740881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: They christen their son on a cool Sunday afternoon in late autumn.





	all things bright and beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> All Things Bright and Beautiful is an Anglican hymn originally published by Irish poet Cecil Frances Alexander in Hymns for Little Children (1848). It is often used by other Christian denominations in their church services, as well.

Eddie heaved an exhausted sigh as she sank into the booth across from her sister-in-law and lifted Flynn carefully from his stroller. She felt a little guilty about the fact that she’d shown up nearly thirty minutes later than they’d planned, but, what with the many crying fits Flynn had gone into on their way out the door, it was something of a miracle she’d made it at all.

“Sorry we’re so late,” she said apologetically, rubbing a hand up and down her son’s back as he continued to fuss quietly. “Think this one’s got another tooth coming in soon. He’s been a little ball of anger for the past few days now.”

Erin waved the apology away. “Please. I had one of my own, remember? I know she’s off on her own now, but I do remember this phase of everything. I went ahead and ordered you that tea you always get when we come here.”

“Thank you,” Eddie replied gratefully, settling Flynn in her lap and opening the menu for the first time since she’d walked through the door. She didn’t know why; it wasn’t as if any other aspect of her order changed when they came here. She’d been in a total of six times, yet their waitress had already memorized her regular. Motherhood had made her predictable. “How’s work been?”

Erin shrugged, smiling at Flynn when he babbled something in her direction. “Oh, you know. Fighting with my boss, fighting with my brother. The usual.” She shot the waitress a grateful smile when their drinks were refilled and their orders were taken, then glanced back over at her sister-in-law. “You didn’t call me to ask me something that’ll be discussed in detail this weekend at Sunday dinner, though. What’s up?”

“Your brother and I want to have Flynn christened at the end of this month,” Eddie informed her. “And we were sort of hoping you’d be his godmother.” She held up a hand before Erin could so much as open her mouth. “You don’t have to say yes. It’d just – it’d mean a lot to us.”

Erin laughed quietly, shaking her head in incredulous amusement. “Don’t look so terrified, Eddie. It’s not like I’m going to say no.” She brushed her fingers under her eyes, likely trying to rid her cheeks of tears Eddie hadn’t seen. “ _Of course_ I’ll be his godmother, Eddie. In fact, it’d be my honor.”

“Thank you,” Eddie murmured in response, pressing a kiss to the top of her son’s head.

“This is what family _does_ , Eddie,” Erin informed her gently. “You don’t have to thank me.”

“I know,” Eddie assured her. “Or I’m learning. One of those.” She shifted Flynn in her arms. “I’m glad he’ll have all of you,” she murmured, smiling when Flynn tilted his head back and flashed a toothless grin. “He’s a lucky boy.”

“No,” Erin disagreed definitively. “ _We’re_ lucky to have _him_.”

As Eddie stared down at her son’s beaming face, she couldn’t help but agree with her sister-in-law’s assessment.

-o-

They hadn’t been back to the Twelfth in a while, but it seemed like as good a time as any to stop by. They had a favor to ask of their former sergeant, and it wasn’t the sort they wanted to bring up over the phone. Plus, it was sort of nice to be back in the place where it had all started, especially with their son in tow. It was a reminder of where they’d started out, how it’d all begun. They could never grow tired of such memories.

Renzulli glanced up from his paperwork with a grin when they made their way into his office. “Well, if it isn’t my two favorite officers,” he greeted, pushing himself up and away from his desk. “How’re you two liking the Two-Nine? You got ’em in tip-top shape already, Reagan?”

“We’re working on it,” Jamie hedged, amused. “Eddie’s already left us for the Six-One.” Despite his teasing words, there was a genuine pride in his tone that made Eddie beam.

“Right. Heard you’d made Sergeant a few months back yourself, Janko. Congrats.” Renzulli glanced between the two of them. “What brings you out my way?”

“We have a favor to ask of you, Sarge,” Jamie began, facing Flynn forward in his arms when the little boy began fussing insistently. His cries died down instantly the second that he could see just who it was his parents were addressing. “We’re having Flynn’s christening at the end of this month, and we were wondering if you’d be his godfather.”

Renzulli blinked twice in quick succession, then cleared his throat. “’Course,” he managed after a few moments. “Means a lot that you’re asking me.”

“Like it or not, Sarge, you’re part of the reason this happened,” Eddie reminded him, flashing a teasing smirk. “If you hadn’t chewed Jamie out over me all those years ago, who knows if he’d have ever gotten his act together enough to get us to this point.”

“He wouldn’t have,” Renzulli replied definitively. “He’s always been a bit of a moron when it comes to you, Janko. Bet you’ve noticed that by now.”

“He is,” Eddie laughed, amused. “He really is.” She hugged her former sergeant quickly. “Thank you,” she murmured, releasing him after a few seconds had passed.

Renzulli shrugged, chuckling quietly. “Believe me, Janko, I’m doing it for the kid’s benefit. Two of you as parents? Boy’s not going to be able to get away with _anything_.”

“We also made Erin his godmother,” Jamie pointed out, shifting Flynn in his arms so that the boy could stare at something over his shoulder.

“You’re smart people,” Renzulli complimented them. He gestured to the baby in his former rookie’s arms. “Can I hold the little guy?”

“Yeah,” Jamie agreed immediately, handing his son over without hesitation.

Renzulli smiled at the dark-haired infant when Flynn tilted his head back slightly to stare up at his godfather curiously. “Looks like you, Reagan,” he commented. “Though I see some of you in him too, Janko.”

“It was a lot clearer who he looked like when he was first born,” Eddie informed him. “Nobody knows anymore.”

“Ah.” Renzulli bounced the boy slightly in his arms when he began fussing. “Let’s hope my wife doesn’t walk in anytime soon. Last thing I need is for her to get any ideas.”

Jamie stifled a laugh at that, while Eddie simply smiled. They’d both met the man’s wife. He wasn’t joking.

Renzulli held Flynn for another five minutes or so before finally handing him back, and only because he was called away by a newer member of the force for assistance. “You two – you did real good,” he complimented before leaving the family of three. “Real good.”

Eddie looked on fondly as Flynn snuggled into Jamie’s shoulder, feeling absolutely content in his father’s arms. Their former boss was right. They’d done _amazing_.

-o-

The christening was held after Mass on the last Sunday of the month. It was so bitterly cold outside that Eddie, clad in a velvet dress and wool coat that hit just above her knees, was still shivering as she helped Jamie unload the baby from the backseat. She was thankful they had thought ahead enough to pack several thicker quilts in addition to the christening blanket that was apparently a Reagan family tradition, because if she was cold in her clothing, she did not even want to think about how cold her little boy would be in his christening gown and cap.

“It’s not even winter,” Nicky groused, her teeth chattering slightly as she came to stand next to her aunt and nephew.

Eddie glanced over at her, amused. “You did grow up in New York, right?” she questioned, shifting Flynn in his arms so that he was propped up against her shoulder, still bundled up in no fewer than three blankets.

“I did,” Nicky sighed in defeat. “I don’t know why I’m always surprised by it.” She smiled at her cousin. “At least he looks warm.”

“He’s warm, all right,” Jamie commented teasingly as he came to stand behind his wife. “Pretty sure Eddie packed every blanket we had in the house into the car.”

“He’s in silk,” she pointed out, pressing a kiss to the side of her son’s head. “And it’s barely above freezing. I don’t want him to get too cold.”

“I know,” Jamie murmured, wrapping an arm around her. “You’re a good mom, Janko.”

The rest of the family – and Renzulli and his wife – arrived soon after. The ceremony itself lasted less than an hour. Flynn slept through most of it, snoozing away in his mother’s arms and then in his aunt’s. He awoke only when the water was poured atop his head at the end. It was probably a good thing he was immediately handed back over to his parents after that part was over, because he wasn’t a happy camper.

“You’re okay,” Eddie soothed, rocking him back and forth in her arms as Jamie hunted for the pacifier she’d packed away in the diaper bag before they left the house. “It’s okay, it’s all over now,” she assured, mouthing her apologies to the poor priest standing a few feet away.

He shrugged off her concern. “Have yet to meet a little one who likes it,” he informed her, smiling kindly. “Your husband there certainly didn’t.”

Right. The Reagans had been going to this particular church since her husband was little.

“So, what I’m hearing is that he got this from you,” Eddie murmured, smiling teasingly up at her husband.

He shook his head at her, amused. “Let me guess. You were a perfect angel during yours?”

“I was,” she insisted. “I mean, I was three days old or something like that, but I was.”

Jamie smirked fondly down at her. “Fine,” he sighed after a moment, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. “You win. You _always_ win.”

There was a reception hosted in the church’s rec room after the ceremony was over. Flynn got his first taste of cake when he somehow managed to get ahold of Eddie’s plate halfway through. She couldn’t bring herself to be bothered by it. It was just further proof that he was indeed her son.

“He’s so perfect,” she murmured, her eyes on her son as he slept in his great-grandfather’s arms. “ _So_ perfect,” she repeated. “We _made_ that, Jamie,” she whispered, still amazed after all this time. “He’s _ours_.”

“He is,” Jamie said softly in response, that one word a promise as much as a reply.

With that, they both refocused on their son, smiling reverently at the tiny person they’d known less than a year and yet loved more than they’d loved anyone else combined.

**Author's Note:**

> I am not Catholic, so I apologize for any inaccuracies on that front. I did do some research into Catholic christenings, in an attempt to at least TRY to fact-check myself, so I hope it wasn't too horribly wrong? I don't know, guys. I really DID try my best. 
> 
> I've also attempted to make an outfit idea board for what Eddie wore over on tumblr (ourdefinitionofperfect). I'm still trying to work out the kinks, but I hope it doesn't look too disastrous.


End file.
